Arsenal spent the summer chasing relegated Sheffield United’s goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale
before forking out an initial £24 million to sign the player. Plenty of fans and pundits were
baffled by the pursuit and the fee – including us - but Arsenal seem to have got it right.
Ramsdale’s post-shot expected goals plus or minus per 90 the best in the
league after ten games, showing his genuine ability as a shot-stopper.
Interestingly, there was little evidence that Ramsdale was this good.
Prior to this season with Arsenal, Ramsdale’s save percentage had never gone above 71%.
It stands at 85.7% this season. He’s already saved more goals according to post-shot expected
goals in this campaign than in the whole of Sheffield United’s relegation season.
But his distribution is what has really caught the eye. A glorious, sliced pass from his side played
through the middle of the Leicester team was a moment of superb technique, but it was also fully
intended; seconds before executing the pass, Ramsdale clearly gestures several times to
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to hold his position between the lines so that the pass can reach him.
Ramsdale’s passing has never been this good before. His long kicking, over 36.5 metres,
has improved in accuracy from 30.4% with Bournemouth and 33.8% with Sheffield United,
to 36.1% with Arsenal. He’s kicking it long far less, too, down to 45.2% of the time
compared to 70% with Sheffield United. He’s gone from being the third longest
kicker by percentage in the Premier League in 2020/21 to the ninth longest this season.
Ramsdale’s ability with the ball to feet suits Mikel Arteta’s professed desire to build out from
the back, but what’s crucial is that unlike some goalkeepers, he doesn’t just tap it to
a defender to begin this process. While he does roll the ball to his defenders’ feet sometimes,
or step up to make a kind of back three and play the ball laterally, Ramsdale also looks to
sweep passes towards the flanks. This affords the Arsenal full backs a ball to run on to,
or allows the wide midfielders to drop into space away from their marker to collect.
An inside or back pass is then usually on, which means Arsenal can build forward or
switch from a more advanced position, or the wide player can turn and carry into the space.
Ramsdale can also, as with that pass to Aubameyang, break the lines himself. It’s
unusual for it to be a pass of that length, or type, but he’s adept at spotting a midfielder
or even striker dropping in and arrowing passes, Ederson-like, through the midfield zone to feet.
Ramsdale’s distribution isn’t perfect. He can sometimes send those angled balls out of play
and his long kicking accuracy is in bottom third of the league.
But what matters is what he can do, and how it helps Arteta maintain his playing style.
It’s a triumph of scouting or coaching that Ramsdale has changed so much,
so quickly, and so successfully. It’s also testament to the player’s character.
Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation seems to have been resolved, much to everyone’s surprise.